Welland, Robert P.: my Navy recollections (May 24, and 25, 1983)
Interviewee: Welland, Robert P.
ABSTRACT: Rear Admiral Robert P. Welland, D.S.C. Royal Canadian Navy Part I (Cassette 1, Side 1) At the age of eighteen R/Adm. Welland, having passed his Civil Service examination, joined the navy in 1936. Comments on the training cruiser HMS Frobisher and the usual three month cruises. Canada not having any facilities to train young officers it was necessary to begin their five-year stint in the UK. Also other Commonwealth and some foreign cadets trained there. Requested an appointment to the East Indies Station and joined HMS Emerald at Trincomalee in Ceylon. Heat in the ship (120° F) and in the boiler room was considerably hotter and required Somalian stokers (civilians under contract) who were able to stand the heat. Goanese messman were carried and being Muslims set their prayer mats around the upper deck and prayed to the east; the direction given to them daily by the midshipman of the watch. Occasionally patrolled the Red Sea attempting to catch smugglers. Anecdotes of naval life ashore in the colonies as well as aboard ship. All the ships gathered every two months at Trincomalee for battle practice--both exercising the guns and landing parties of fully armed Royal Marines. In 1938 the Royal Navy "captured" Singapore. According to Welland the Air Force lost all their aircraft to the Marines, the army lost coast defence guns and the centre of the city but laughed it off as it was an exercise! Returning to England, the ship was diverted to Israel where the Arabs and Jews were killing each other again. Two days on Mount Carmel as part of a small patrol, searching for grenades on civilians. The last few months as a midshipman was served in HMS Glasgow (cruiser). Many exercises in the Home Fleet. Serious gunnery and torpedo practice. Much thought about a future war but a general lack of attention to anti-aircraft gunnery, which was poor as was the equipment. Sub-Lieutenant's courses at Whale Island. At the end of a course, war was on and Welland appointed to a destroyer HMS Fame. (Cassette 2, Side 1) Rescued passengers and crew of sunken ships north of Scotland. After about six months Welland was returned to Canada to join HMCS St. Laurent (destroyer) in Halifax. Two weeks later under Lt. Cmdr. Harry DeWolf they sailed for Britain. Helped evacuate the British army from France including the refusal of the British at Saint-Valery-en-Caux. Later participated in the rescue of the crew and many POWs from the sinking liner, the Arandora Star. Those rescued (over 700) were covered in oil and in poor shape. Many died and Welland was ordered, with two seamen, to stack them up on Y-gun deck. Comments on Harry DeWolf, an excellent ship handler. Welland remained in the ship about a year, during which time they were able to sink one submarine. Trained in anti-submarine warfare (8 mos. course) and was appointed to the anti-submarine school at Halifax. He and a few others worked from Pictou preparing partially trained corvette crews for war and after three or four days sent them off to sea! Invented the Welland Plot so that the ships could locate their changing position on a chart relative to that of a submarine. Next sent to Esquimalt to establish an anti-submarine school and within three months had 400 students enrolled. In 1942 became executive officer in HMCS Assiniboine (destroyer) which he joined in the UK while under refit in Liverpool. The captain was Cmdr. Ken Adams, also an excellent ship-handler who took pains to instruct his officers in that skill. Welland became acting captain when Adams was ill (1943) and later was confirmed in that position. Returns to 1942 when Herbie Rayner was captain, a different style from Adams. Assiniboine, later in the summer of 1944, was in action off the French coast. Near Brest was a battery of 11-inch coast defence guns that were being used against the American army advancing toward Brest. Off Ushant (88mm guns) Assiniboine's patrol area ended at a range of about one mile, and by mutual consent the Germans did not open fire on the more heavily armed destroyers. Describes the German use of glider bombs which could be radio-controlled to their targets. The 11-inch guns (Brest) were attacked from the sea and heavily bombed by the air force but survived, opening fire as Assiniboine, other destroyers, and a battleship retired. The coastal battery was eventually blown up by Royal Marine commandos. Off Plymouth Assiniboine attacked a submarine lying on the bottom that blew up and caused considerable damage to the ship. The Admiralty advised the submarine had been recently sunk. Assiniboine had caused the torpedoes to explode. Returns to an account of an unsuccessful attack on a submarine by St. Laurent--after a 10-hour attack and another after leaving Plymouth harbour when the seaman passing the telephone order to fire, simply froze due to his nervous strain and contact was lost. Later, in command of HMCS Haida, they attacked and brought a damaged British submarine to the surface which they had not been advised was part of the exercise! Welland clarifies the time--returned to Canada to Haida (Dec. 1944) and again sailed for Scapa. Russian convoys to Murmansk, survived a torpedo attack. At Trondheim, Norway Welland accepted the surrender of a number of submarines and, with a Norwegian officer, accepted the surrender of a German airfield. Before Haida left they treated many Norwegian citizens and gave away all their medical stores of every kind. Part II (Cassette 3, Side 1) The navy underwent serious downsizing between 1945 and 1950. At the beginning of the Korean War (1950) Athabaskan, Sioux and Cayuga took on war stores and quickly left Esquimalt for Korea via Pearl Harbour, other Pacific islands, and Sasebo, Japan. The North Koreans had occupied nearly all of South Korea so the ships were in action almost immediately under British control on the west coast. Coastal shipping was the main target and were sent into nearby ports. Describes the Korean civilian attitude to the war. Many refugees that as much as possible were helped by the Canadians. Some trouble with N. Korean mines in rivers and harbours. Describes using Bofors to explode mines at a range of about 150 yards. Inchon Harbour and checking if N. Korean troops were occupying a series of islands and the close-by mainland. Bombarded partially-built fortifications on the coast. (Cassette 3, Side 2) Next on the east coast with the American navy. They were part of an invasion fleet to attack a large harbour just south of the border. The Americans decided that they had to have a minesweeper so that they could clear the enemy harbour so they waited several days for one to come from Japan. There was much entertaining in Haida--including the U.S. Admiral and the captains of many ships were there for lunch. After eight days the minesweeper arrived only to find that the North Koreans had withdrawn, so there was no fighting invasion! Good account of the move up the Chinnampo River to the city to assist the retreating U.S. army. Several ships ran aground. Haida did not and participated in the shelling of the oil tanks at Chinnampo. Second Interview Welland returns to an earlier time with a story of re-supplying a group of islands, the Kokunsun Gunto--archipelago well off the coast and his relationship with the local head man. Interesting account of the ship's doctor, Surg. Lt. Bruce Ramsey who spent much time looking after civilians brought on board for medical treatment often bullet wounds by bullets from U.S. naval aircraft. The captain's dining room table was the operating table and, as Welland says, nine people died on his dining room table. They ran into ice off N. Korea that can wear through the hull unless protected, ours were and the RN was not resulting in one destroyer having to retire in a leaking condition. Athabaskan was able to supply HMS Kenya (cruiser) with 30 sets of Canadian winter clothing since the RN gear was insufficient for the below freezing weather. This "gift" in return for Athabaskan smashing the Kenya's officers gangway when coming alongside the RN ship. Anecdote of propeller problems. The main effort in Korea was the sea blockade with a limited amount of firing against railroads. Continuous propaganda radio commentators by the North Koreans, including remarks that the Canadians should go home--what's happening to your wives and children at home, etc. It was banned in the ship as likely to be demoralizing. (Cassette 4, Side 1) The ship was very concerned with morale and held classes and examinations leading to promotions. The entire ship's company received an increase in at least one rank. The crew was paid at their new rank but carried on with their jobs. As Welland says "I didn't want the whole bloody ship full of petty officers". Static sports were played in the ship, such as loading depth charge throwers by hand--weight of almost four hundred pounds. Several could! Compulsory church service on Sunday led by the captain and at which time he spoke of news and other items of interest. Comments on Information Officers and the efforts made by Headquarters to saddle Welland with the job which was firmly refused. Eventually it was organized that Welland would send reports to the Toronto Star--by radio, by key, about two hours work in a slack radio time (July to October 1950). Welland found writing it hard work--the stories were mostly human interest--the crew, Koreans at sea, and rescued, etc. After the war (c. 1955) Welland was Director of Naval Training in Ottawa. It wasn't a good time to acquire officers, particularly flying officers. Discusses a new programme to be entirely within the navy. In officer training the candidates should not be over-educated such as in the services colleges where former students were more likely to leave the navy rather than make it a career. Thus the beginning of the Venture programme. Designed to be broadly based--from all over the country. In practice and studies the plan was loosely based on Royal Roads. R/Adm. Hugh Pullen was very keen on this since he felt it was a "proper" naval college. Early emphasis on pilots but soon broadened to include all branches. Six days per week instruction. The number of cadets built to nearly four hundred, first and second year inclusive. A great source of young naval officers, most of whom wanted to get to their jobs as soon as possible. Welland comments on Integration (approved) and Unification (disapproved). Much discussion about trade schools since the navy and army, for example, had very different performance requirements for the same nominal trade description. Showed the Minister of defence his disapproval and eventually retired seven years early (1967). While in command of HMCS Shearwater, Welland took flying training, graduated, and applied for his wings. He was turned down because his training had not been "authorized". (Cassette 4, Side 2) Some remarks about other officers, Jeff Brock in particular. Basic officer training or the lack of it made a considerable difference when in command of a ship. Very much against the new green uniform. No real reason for it and it annoyed the navy very much. Welland discusses his career and on balance was satisfied. Very difficult time during unification all the Flag and General Officers acted independently, there was no "Admirals Revolt" or anything like it. Basically senior officers were convinced the plan would not work and many didn't want any part of it. Every branch of the armed forces deteriorated for quite some time.
Rank: Rear Admiral. Medals and Honours: Distinguished Service Cross
An interview/narrative of Robert P. Welland's experiences during World War II and the Korean War. Rear Admiral Welland served with the Royal Canadian Navy. Interview took place on May 24 and 25, 1983.
Interviewer: Lawrence, Hal
- In Collection:
- 7 sound recordings (MP3)
- 52.16045, -0.70312
- 35.68536, 139.75309
- Original sound recordings on four audio cassettes also available.
- Canadian Military Oral History Collection
- WRP_268
- Special Collections Finding Aid: https://search.archives.uvic.ca/hal-lawrence-collection
- October 21, 2013
- Digital sound recording in .wav format at 16 bits and 44 kHz. In .mp3 format at 56 kbps and 24 kHz. Digitized by JF, technical and cataloguing metadata provided by JF and JP. Interview migrated to digital format for UVic Special Collections in 2013. Migration metadata by KD and MT.
- Rights
- This interview has been posted with the understanding that it may be used for research purposes only. Should the interviewee or their heirs have any objections to this interview being accessible on the Internet, it will be removed promptly. Contact UVic Special Collections for permission if using for other than research purposes: speccoll@uvic.ca
- DOI
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